CVE-2018-21268
Node-Traceroute RCE Vulnerability
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
CVE-2018-21268- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:L/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-3192
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
EUVD-2022-3192- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:L/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-8j9v-qhp4-wv55
Node-Traceroute RCE Vulnerability
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
GHSA-8j9v-qhp4-wv55- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
CVE-2018-21268- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
CVE-2018-21268- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-8j9v-qhp4-wv55
Node-Traceroute RCE Vulnerability
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- Record
GHSA-8j9v-qhp4-wv55- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
traceroutenpm |
through 1.0.0 | None known |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | dannyEndorTest/node-vulnerable | 2026-05-21 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2018-21268 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) in Traceroute Project Traceroute, published June 25, 2020. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 4.29%, the 91st percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
linkedin.com/posts/op-innovate_shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-activity-6678956453086191616-Rcpy
op-c.net/2020/06/17/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package
medium.com/%40shay_62828/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package-a4cf7b6553e3
github.com/jaw187/node-traceroute/tags
npmjs.com/package/traceroute
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snyk.io/vuln/npm:traceroute:20160311
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-21268